We should not forget that Christmas is essentially a religious festival, even if we are not believers. Though France is a secular society many of its people are still practising Catholics and the churches have their cribs to remind worshipers of the event and meaning of Christmas. When we were buying hay yesterday M Alaux our neighbour said he had been busy finishing the crib in the parish church of Varen, so we dropped in to see the parishioners' work. It is so traditional in design that one can imagine many of the elements have been in use for many years.
